1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector support structure.
2. Description of Relevant Art
Conventionally, this kind of a connector support structure of a technology according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 10-21992 has been known.
The connector support structure is generally composed of a holder to be mounted to a hole defined by a part to be assembled such as a stay member of an automobile, a first connector slidably fitted in the holder, a second connector joined to a side of electronic unit, and a rotary lever supported by a supporting axis on the first connector, the lever to drive the second connector in a direction for connection with the first connector.
However, in the conventional connector, the first connector is provisionally fastened against the holder at an initial insertion-position, and it is necessary to form a provisionally-fastening part to the first connector. With this, it is also necessary to form a projection for provisionally fastening to the holder.
In addition, due to preventing the first connector inserted in such the initial insertion-position from dropping off out of the holder, a projection for prevention from dropping off is formed to the first connector, and it is necessary to form a drop-prevention part to the holder. Thus, the conventional structure has a drawback that structure is complicated because the respective members are formed with a provisionally fastening structure and a drop-prevention structure.
The provisionally fastening part formed to the first connector and the drop-prevention part formed to the holder are set to be resiliently deformed when inserting the first connector to the holder. In these parts, because of, for example, operation of arrangement of a wire harness connected to the first connector and load caused by assembly operation of the holder and the first connector at an inappropriate position, the parts are possible to be bent and damaged.
The connector support structure has necessity that the engagement pin is fitted when inserting the first connector in the holder assembled to the part to be mounted. With the first connector being inserted in the holder, the lever can rotate freely, and an operation to make the engagement pin inserted in the guide groove needs a skill. Thus, there is a drawback that an assembly operation is complicated.
An object of the invention is to provide a connector support structure that makes assembly performed reliably and easily.
To achieve the object, a first aspect of the present invention provides a connector support structure. The structure includes a first connector having a rear end side supported by a part to be assembled and a second connector to be fitted the first connector to be mounted from a front end side thereof. The first connector and the second connector is electrically joined each other. The first connector includes a first connector body, and rotary members supported to the first connector body by supporting axe for free end parts of the rotary members to project from a rear end face of the first connector body. The rotary members include rear engagement projections provided at the free end parts. The rear engagement projections project in substantially a right angle relative to rotation faces of the rotary members. The rotary members include front engagement projections provided at positions in the free end parts closer to the supporting axe than to the rear engagement projections. The rotary members include cut-out parts for provisionally fastening for engagement with projections for provisionally fastening provided on the first connector body. The part to be assembled includes an engagement panel defining cut-out parts for projection passage to pass the rear engagement projections from a front side to a back side when engaging the projections for provisionally-fastening with the cut-out parts of the rotary members for the rotary members to be provisionally fastened to make rotations of the rotation members impossible.
Preferably, the part to be assembled defines a slit part to allow the rotary members to be slid, with the rear engagement projections passing on the back side of the panel through the cut-out parts of the panel.
Preferably the part to be assembled includes a pair of engagement panels spaced each other at a distance. The pair of engagement panels are arranged to oppose to side edges thereof each other on substantially an identical plane. The panel defines the cut-out parts for projection passage at the side edges thereof.
Preferably, the cut-out parts for provisionally fastening are to be disengaged with the projections for provisionally fastening in accordance with rotations of the rotary members.
Preferably, the projections for provisionally fastening are to be engaged with periphery parts of the rotary members to restrict the rotary members in directions of disengagement thereof when the rear engagement projections and the front engagement projections hold the engagement panel therebetween for the first connector to be mounted to the part to be assembled.
Preferably, the rotary members have projections for rotation to engage with the second connector for transmitting rotation force to the rotary members when fitting the second connector with the first connector.
According to the invention, with the projections for provisionally-fastening formed to the first connector body being engaged with the cut-out parts for provisionally-fastening formed to the rotary members, the rotary members is provisionally fastened to the first connector body to make rotations impossible. When the rotary members are provisionally fastened to the first connector body, the rear engagement projections provided to the free end parts of the rotary members are possible to pass from the front side to the back side through the cut-out parts for projection passage of the engagement panel of the part to be assembled.
As a result, with the rotary members being not provisionally fastened, the rear engagement projections can not be positioned at a back face side of the engagement panel, and the first connector can not be mounted to the part to be assembled. Thus, the first connector is assembled to the part reliably and smoothly.
The first connector is slid to the part to be assembled to keep out of the part to be assembled, thus being able to be moved at an appropriate position where the rear engagement projections is well abuttingly engaged to the engagement panel.
With a simple structure with a pair of the engagement panels, the first connector is reliably engaged and mounted to the part to be assembled. As described above, a structure of a part to be assembled is simple, and production of the part to be assembled becomes easier.
Engagement and disengagement with the projections for provisionally-fastening and the cut-out parts for provisionally-fastening are possible, and when mounting the second connector to the first connector after the first connector is mounted to the part to be assembled, they can be disengaged. Thus, rotation drive force for the rotary member is easily drawn out, the force being generated such that the second connector pushes the rotary member.
The projections for provisionally fastening formed to the first connector body each have a function to provisionally fasten the rotary members and a function to prevent the rotary members from reverse rotation.
The projections for rotation are provided to the rotary members, and the rotary members can be rotated by a low load.